World weightlifting championship hosts, Thailand have voluntarily withdrawn from international competitions, including qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, over a series of doping violations.

Thailand will still, in spite of the self-imposed ban, host the 2019 world championships in Pattaya from Sept. 18 to Sept. 27, the International Weightlifting Federation said on Friday.

The sport’s world ruling body disclosed this following an executive board meeting at Las Vegas in the U.S.

“Thailand will fulfil their obligation and will deliver the organisation of the 2019 IWF World Championships in spite of the fact that no Thai athletes will be entitled to participate.”

Thailand’s weightlifting federation had said on Thursday they would withdraw from competition following eight adverse analytical findings at the previous world championships last year.

The eight included three gold medallists from the championships at Ashgabat in Turkmenistan and two Olympic champions.

NAN